Combination fishhook



July 27,- 1943.` y J. HELFENSTEIN '2,325,247

COMBINATION FISHHOOK Filed April 21, 1942 ward extremity of each of the shanks 2i! is l formed to provide a spring coil 22; i

As is clearly illustrated in Figure 2, the shanks 20 are of such length as to have the hooks 2| confined within the rear part ofthe tail or f guard 5 so that snagging is prevented. This tail or guard 5 is somewhat in theform of a V` with its apex portion forwardly disposed and the side edges of the tail or guard 5 are provided with the sawnteeth 23- to provide, further means to prevent snaggingfandfalso to facilitat'ethe func-y tioning of the device when a ii'sh strikes, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.`

The tail or guard 5 at substantially its axial" center is provided with a depending vblock '24".

provided with a socket 25 in its forward end of the Shanks 20.- It is to be stated that this socket 25 is of such dimensions to Vreceive the L, "spur 26 of both of the Shanks; l

While in the/:accompanying drawing the invention isvshown as embodying the use of'an artiflcial minnow as. comprised inthe body I, it is to be stated :that if desired'the minnow or body I may be omitted and the hooks 6 engaged directly with a live'minnow of requisite size. s

The forward end portion of the body I, as herein disclosed, has .pivotally connected therewith,

as at 21, a 4forwardly directed yoke member 28 whichis of a length to extend beyond the outer lend of the body member I4. The forward portion 29 of this yoke member 28 is relatively narrow and disposed on a downward incline and provides `a slotfforv a purpose to be hereinafter described. i

In practice, the. shanksf20 are retracted, as

illustrated in Figure 2, with the spurs 26 thereof engaged within the'socket .25 of .the block 24, 'wherebythe outer end portions of these Shanks 20 and the hooks 2| thereof are held in close relation and within the field defined-by the adjacent yportion of the tail or guard 5. The spurs 26 are releasably held within thesocket `25.b'y

the expansible member I6 hereinbefore referred to. To facilitate the retraction of the shanksl 20, togetherwith the engaging of the spurs 26 within the socket 25, said Shanks in their outer portions carry y the` depending wings 30 ywhich can be readily engaged between the digits of a hand.

When the fish strikes, the plate 4 will be moved rearwardly a distance suflicient'to release the spurs 26 fromewithin the socket 25, whereupon the shanks 20 will at once separate vor spread in i ya manner to forcibly separate vthe hooks and thus have thehooks` engagewithin the mouth of a fish in a manner whereby any'attempt to draw the hooks from within the mouth of the' sh will merely result in forcing the points of the hooks into the flesh of the sh. This desired movement of the plate 4 upon striking of the sh is further facilitatedabythe tail or guard 5, together with the saw teeth 23 thereof.

Soldered, Welded or otherwise vrigidly connect ed, as at 3|, along-the shaft-I0 is a wireelike strand 32 having its forwardend portion -33 upwardly and rearwardly returned. The free'extremity of the returned portion 33 yand the adjacent portions of the shaft I0 'andstrand' 32` are connected by a conventional guard plate 34 with. which coacts fin 'a 'well :known manner -.the free pointed extremity of i the resilient :pin bar 35 which, Vfas" herein l'disclosed'jis the forwardly disposedA and'revrted continuation of the'strand 32l Thepin'bar 3'5isspacedf above'. the .strand 32,

vand in which socket is adaptedto be'received a rearwardly extending spur 26" carried by each as` is clearly illustrated in the drawing, so that the pin barr35 may be readily adjusted into either open lor closedposition after the fashion of a conventional safety pin. In the present embodiment of the invention, the rear portion of the strand 32 is continued over and suitably secured,

as at 36, to the upper surface of the body I4 at the forward extremity thereof.

When the live bait is employed, not only the hookmember 6, as hereinbeforestated, is engaged directly with the live'minnow or other bait but the pin bar -35 is caused to penetrate through Ythe bait and thus assure its effective maintenance in applied position and more particularly when xcasting. a

.While, as. illustrated in the accompanying v 'drawing`,itwohook members 6 are shown, it is to be stated that the forward hook member 6 can be omitted Without affecting the eiiiciency of the device.`

When'the artificial body I Vsused, the pin-bar .35 is Vdisposed through the yoke member 23 and structed in accordance with my invention isfpar-v ticularly Well adapted for use by reason of the ,convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated.

WhatIclaimisz- .v i A 1. ',Avshingdevice comprising an elongated member provided at itsy rear end with va. transverselyenlarged portion to provide a guard, a

sleeve carried byv the member, a shaft movable lengthwise through the sleeve, theouter portion ofthe shaftbeingprovided with means vto engagear line,A means for constantly urging theshaft inwardly, resilient shanks operatively connected with the shaft and'disposed rearwardly, ofA the member, agblock carriedyby, the vguard of the member `and having-,a forwardly facing socket, and spurs carried by the Shanks engaging Within .the socket of the1block to h old the shanksretracted.

2. Al fishing device comprising an elongated y member provided at itsrear end with a transversely enlarged portiony to, provide a guard, la sleeve carried by the member,.a shaft movable lengthwise through the sleeve, the outer portion .fof the shaft beingprovided with means to engage aline, means for constantly urging the shaft inwardly, resilient shanks operatively connected .withthe shaft `and disposedv rearwardiyor the Vmember,ablock engaged by the VVguard of the membenand having a. forwardly facing socket, spurs carriedby the Shanks engagingy withintthe socket of the block to hold the shanks retracted, said guard being substantially V-shaped in form .withA its apex portion forwardly disposed, and

hookrcarriedfby the outer4v extremities of the Shanks, said-hooks bei-ng confined within the area ofthe guard when, retracted.

3. A fishing device comprising. any elongated Amember provided at lits rearend with a transversely enlarged portion-'to provide aguard, a

i sleeve carried byxthe member,'a shaft movable lengthwise through'thesleeve, the outer portion of the shaft heilig provided with means to en cesen a; line,mean.s for` constantly lurgingjthe Shaft inwardly, resilient Shanks operatively connected with the Shaft and` disposed rearwardly of the member, a block carried b-y the guard of the member and having a forwardly facing socket, spurs carried by the Shanks engaging Within the Socket of the block to hold the Shanks retracted, an elongated body provided with a Slot in the face thereof, the elongated member overlying the face of the body having the slot, parts intersecting the Slots of the body, and elements carried by the elongated member to engage said parts for holding the elongated member to the body.

4. A fishing device comprising an elongated member provided at its rear end with a transversely enlarged portion to provide a guard, a sleeve carried bythe member, a shaft movable lengthwise through the Sleeve, the outer portion of the shaft being provided with means to engage a line, means for constantly urging the shaft inwardly, resilient Shanks operativelyvconnected with the shaft and disposed rearwardly of the member, a block carried by the guard of the member and having a forwardly facing socket, Spurs carried by the Shanks engaging within the socket of the block to hold the Shanks retracted, attaching means carried by the member, and bait engaging means carried by the forward end portion of the Shaft. i

5. A fishing device comprising an elongated member provided at its rear end with a transversely enlarged portion to provide a guard, a

sleeve carried by the member,v a shaft movable lengthwise through the Sleeve,` the outerfportion ofthe shaft being provided with meansto engage a, line, means for constantly urging the shaft inwardly, resilient Shanks operatively connected with the shaft and disposed rearwardly of the member, a block carried' by the guard' of the member and having a forwardly facing socket, spurs carried by the Shanks engaging within the Socket of the block to hold the Shanks retracted,

attaching means carried by the member, and aV pin bar carried by the forward portion of the shaft to provide bait engaging means.

6. A fishing device comprising an elongated member provided at its rear end with a trans* versely enlarged portion to provide a guard, a

Sleeve carried by the member, a shaftmovabler `lengthwise through the sleeve, the outer portion of the Shaft beingprovided with means to engage a line, means for constantly `urging the shaft inwardly, resilient Shanks operatively connected with the Shaft and disposed rearwardly of the member, a block carried by the guard of-.the member and having a forwardly facing Socket,

. spurs carried by the Shanks engaging within the socket of the block to hold the Shanks retracted, attaching means carried by the member, and a pinbar carried by the forward portion of the Shaft to provide bait engaging means, said -pin bar being disposed lengthwise of the shaft.

JOHN HELFENSTEIN. 

